1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to pet privies for one or more pets to relieve themselves indoors utilizing granular absorbent litter material, and more particularly to litter box type pet privies capable of filtering coagulated from uncoagulated granular absorbent litter material. Still more particularly, the present invention relates to a pet privy which provides for easy filtering of coagulated from uncoagulated granular absorbent litter material, wherein coagulated granular absorbent litter material is deposited directly into a disposal bag.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Pet privies, particularly those used for cats, typically utilize a box-like structure which retains a reservoir of granular absorbent litter material. When the pet relieves itself, the granular absorbent litter material coagulates as urine and other liquid wastes are deposited thereinto. This type of device has received universal acceptance from pet owners in that odors are minimized and pet excrement is conveniently contained for future disposal.
Disposal has, however, been the perennial problem. Since most of the granular absorbent litter material is not coagulated or otherwise spoiled, it is environmentally and economically unwise to simply throw out the entire litter material contents of the pet privy in order to dispose of an accumulation of pet waste. Yet, manually filtering out the coagulated granular absorbent litter material and feces from the uncoagulated granular absorbent litter material is both laborious and unsanitary. Accordingly, the prior art has addressed the issue of selective disposal of granular absorbent litter material, with some success, as follows.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,908,597 to Taylor, dated Sept. 30, 1975, discloses a two compartment litter based pet privy in which an upper tray is separated from a lower tray be a removable partition. When it is time to service the granular absorbent litter material located in the upper tray, the partition is removed, allowing only uncoagulated granular absorbent litter material to pass through a screen at the bottom of the upper tray. Thus, only coagulated granular absorbent litter material and feces remain the upper tray for disposal, while the lower tray holds uncoagulated granular absorbent litter material.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,117,804 to Moore et al, dated Oct. 3, 1978, discloses a litter based pet privy that both disposes of coagulated granular absorbent litter material and deodorizes the device. A screen partition separates two ends of a box. When it is time to clean the device, the box is tilted so that all the uncoagulated granular absorbent litter material passes through the screen, leaving behind coagulated granular absorbent litter material and feces. A movable partition is then removed, allowing the waste to fall into a deodorized bottom area for later disposal.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,120,264 to Carter, dated Oct. 17, 1978, discloses a litter based pet privy which is structured to be rotated in order to selectively direct the litter contents thereof through a filter which separates the litter contents so that coagulated granular absorbent litter material and feces may be thereupon directed by gravity and the incline of the filter into a disposal bag.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,327,667 to Bilak, dated May 4, 1982, discloses a litter based pet privy which incorporates a receptacle having a trap door and holding granular absorbent litter material. To service the granular absorbent litter material, the trap door is released, and an angled screen filters uncoagulated granular absorbent litter material into a tray, while directing coagulated granular absorbent litter material and feces into a disposal bag.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,846,104 to Pierson, Jr., dated Jul. 11, 1989, discloses a litter based pet privy which is structured for rotational movement for purposes of filtering and aerating granular absorbent litter material. During a cycle of operation of the pet privy, the granular absorbent litter material is caused to tumble so as to aerate and further to be filtered through a flat screen for reuse, with coagulated granular absorbent litter material and feces which are unable to pass through the screen being directed to a disposal bag.
Finally, U.S. Pat. No. 4,886,014 to Sheriff, dated Dec. 12, 1989, discloses a litter based pet privy having a pair of chutes and a wire mesh separator. The user lifts the device and tilts it to the left so as to cause the granular absorbent litter material to deposit into a first chute in the left sidewall. Now, the device is tilted backward, causing the granular absorbent litter material to enter a second chute in the rearwall. Next the user levels the device, with gravity now causing the granular absorbent litter material to fall upon a wire mesh which allows to pass therethrough only uncoagulated granular absorbent litter material. The retained coagulated granular absorbent litter material and feces are thereupon caused to exit the device into a disposal bag by the user tilting the device to the right. Again leveling the device readies it for the next usage by the user's pet.
While all the aforesaid pet privies provide a sortation structure which separates coagulated granular absorbent litter material and feces from uncoagulated granular absorbent litter material, these pet privies suffer from a variety of drawbacks. These drawbacks include undue structural and operational complexities rendering them impractical for most pet owners, who would, more likely than not, rather just use a plain box filled with granular absorbent litter material and manually sift it, rather than purchase an expensive and impractical pet privy of the class aforesaid.
Accordingly, what remains needed in the art is a pet privy using a conventional litter material which separates coagulated granular absorbent litter material and feces from uncoagulated granular absorbent litter material in a manner which is easy to use, practical, simple, and inexpensive.